Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani spoke to reporters for the first time since Sept. 7 on Friday, one day before the start of the team’s National League Division Series matchup with the Atlanta Braves.
Since last speaking to reporters, Ohtani had his first stint on the injured list as a Dodger. He also returned for five games before the end of the regular season, going 5-for-21 with eight strikeouts.
Ohtani is dealing with lingering injuries to his knee, biceps and neck. Here’s what he had to say about his various ailments, through interpreter Will Ireton.
“It feels really good overall,” Ohtani said. “I do feel like my swing is in a better place, feels smooth and just a little tweaks here and there, and I’ll be ready for tomorrow.”
Ohtani said he had a “very productive time” during the five-day layoff, “getting live at-bats, live [batting practice] and simulated games, and having a good amount of time to recover.”
Ohtani was also asked if he’d have to address the injuries in the offseason, potentially in the form of surgery.
“I haven’t been able to get a good grasp of the root cause of all this,” he said. “I think that process is going to happen during the offseason when I’m going to have a little bit more time to be able to address it. But as of now, it’s something I’m just going to have to manage.”
Overall, Ohtani appeared in 135 games as a batter this season, hitting .275 with 30 home runs, 80 RBIs and an OPS of .889. In the second half of the season, he hit .245 with an OPS of .772 across 47 games.
Ohtani’s last pitching appearance came on July 3. He attempted to return to pitching in August, but was ultimately shut down before going on the IL.
“During the IL I pretty much knew I wasn’t going to pitch the rest of the season. So I did focus on just the hitting aspect of the game and coming to understanding and wanting to execute and try new things when I came back,” Ohtani said. “So those were the things that I really took the IL time to think through what I wanted to try when I was back in action.”
Finally, Ohtani was asked about comments from president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who said the organization’s communication with the two-way star was “not as awesome” at times this year in terms of “fully sharing exactly how he’s feeling.”
“I think the discussion became more about like what’s best for the team,” Ohtani said. “Is it something that I can play through, and if that’s best for the team, sure. But I think we both came to an understanding where the decision to be on the IL came from the fact that it’s probably best for the team for me to recover and be able to focus on the postseason.”
As for why he wants to play through his injuries?
“Just overall, I do pride myself on playing every day. I do see it as an obligation as a professional to be on the field every single day. Just being on the IL has taught me a lot, and that’s something that I’m just take it as I go.”
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